The Pick Two Draft Thread

[Lucky17]

Once again, looking for a vet scoring 2 that can create their own shot.

PM Me offers everyone sans Lopez or Scola is available.

We're looking to convert Gilbert to a 2, when he's done serving his time.

[indeedproceed]

Once again, looking for a vet scoring 2 that can create their own shot.

PM Me offers everyone sans Lopez or Scola is available.

We're looking to convert Gilbert to a 2, when he's done serving his time.

Then I bet you don't neeed Ben Gordon anymore

[Evantime34]

Everyone on my roster is available. If you are trying to shed salary money is not an object for these Washington Wizards.

[Lucky17]

Once again, looking for a vet scoring 2 that can create their own shot.

PM Me offers everyone sans Lopez or Scola is available.

We're looking to convert Gilbert to a 2, when he's done serving his time.

Then I bet you don't neeed Ben Gordon anymore

This may be true.

I'll field offers for Gordon.

[riah32]

anyone interest in jr smith pm...is available

[KCattheStripe]

If anyone is interested in getting under the cap, Give the Bulls a call.

[Fafnir]

If anyone is interested in getting under the cap, Give the Bulls a call.

Unless people took a bunch of highly paid guys being under the cap isn't too hard.

Especially since FA is no longer as valuable. Don't forget that now each team has first right of refusal on its keepers for life.

Basically they're always restricted.

[indeedproceed]

If anyone is interested in getting under the cap, Give the Bulls a call.

Unless people took a bunch of highly paid guys being under the cap isn't too hard.

Especially since FA is no longer as valuable. Don't forget that now each team has first right of refusal on its keepers for life.

Basically they're always restricted.

So this right of first refusal is exactly like being a restricted free agent?

[Lucky17]

If anyone is interested in getting under the cap, Give the Bulls a call.

Unless people took a bunch of highly paid guys being under the cap isn't too hard.

Especially since FA is no longer as valuable. Don't forget that now each team has first right of refusal on its keepers for life.

Basically they're always restricted.

So this right of first refusal is exactly like being a restricted free agent?

I think the implication is that the RFA will not sign with another club, regardless of whatever cap space the other team has to play with.

[Fafnir]

Ime Udoka

[Lucky17]

Ime Udoka

Nice pick in this round. Good character, hard worker, can contribute.

James Posey is available. Actually, just about anyone on my bench (with the exception of Jerebko) is available.

[indeedproceed]

Ime Udoka

To those who know his story, revel in it. TO those who have never read it, I apologize beforehand for blowing your minds.

THE IME UDOKA STORY

It’s a trip when you get to know people. Ime was so quiet and I figured he was just some guy who could play with a Nigerian father. Well, folks in S.A., don’t be fooled. That dude in an Afr-I-CAN! I mean [dang]! The only thing non-African about him is his accent. We went to Nigeria, man… When they brought out the food I figured uh oh… He aint eatin’ th… What the?! Ime was tearing that Fu-fu (thank Jay-Z for everyone knowing what that is now) to shreads. I asked him about his adornment of the vittles. He said that’s all he ate growing up. Imagine my surprise when I saw he must have grown up doing the African ju-jitsu too.

When the National Team went to Algeria for the African Championships in Algiers, every team was on edge because the Top 3 squads got the invite to the World Championships. So after we lost to Angola in the semis and had to play Algeria for the third spot, they knew, we knew, everyone knew they had no shot. First quarter… Tactics. African ball, man. Trust me: as corrupt as can be. Despite all the cheating from the three-man (North African) refereeing crew they just couldn’t beat us. So the coach sent in their best player, who was injured but came in with a purpose. I think his name was Ali Bidane or something. We had the ball out of bounce under. He guarded me. As the ref handed us the ball, he turned, looked at me as if there was not a game going on. And pop! Not an elbow, not even a signature yours truly gutter. He decked me right in the jaw. I couldn’t believe it. And come on. I freely admit when I throw cheap shots. I wouldn’t hide it if I started to. I mean, I’m in the middle of basically middle eastern country playing the local team. I know better (read on to see my contradiction). He nailed me, we turned it over, and yes, my Rodman 101 class did well. I looked up court, saw both refs back and calmly asked him in by most polite French, “Pardon me sir, I object to you striking me.” Next thing you know… Both teams on the court going at it. Wow.

Imagine my surprise! (My cheeks hurt). That wasn’t the real brawl. After we won was the real issue. After the game, they were waiting for us to come out of the locker room. And seriously, I didn’t start it. Kingsley Ogwudire was in front of our team in an all-out tirade in his best Arabic. The next thing you know, there were three Algerian players on him. Everyone was engaged in combat save me, if you can believe it. And lo and ehold… Ime! He was taking people out like in Mortal Kombat. Finish him! Incredible. I was so out of it as I had five guys I was fighting (oh yeah, the crowd jumped in as the fight spilled over to the court of the championship game of Senegal and Angola).

In the middle of the whole thing I heard Ime, literally in mid-swing of another opponent say,”Watch back, Gabe” and he calmly, I mean calmly, smeared a guy who, as I turned to see his warning, jumped from the stands with a chair to probably kill me or knock me out to where the crowd would have. I mean, Ime caught the guy in mid air with a fist and calmly continued his dispacthing of oncoming people. He and other guys (yes, me too) were whoopin’ so many people the crowd backed up. True to the letter! But Ime had the most notches by far. As we retreated to the locker room to kind chants of, “You cudly blackies! We highly doubt your ability to leave this gym with lives intact” in French, (it might have been a bad translation) all I could do was marvel at Ime. This guy, I thought, was a quiet American guy was standing there – all his stuff gone (gym bag, wallet, shoes, jersey) – with a stick in his hand we tore off the walls of the locker room in the middle of North Africa quite literally with our lives on the line… laughing. All the while I was texting my wife that I loved her and might have a hard time seeing her again while she was watching the whole incident on BBC News. And Ime… laughing. He is and always will be my 9ja broda. Ime… Wetin happen bros? Abi na notin. Notin dey happen. To this day I don’t know how we got out of there. But that night we ate like kings at the Nigerian Embassy. And Ime was with us… Killing his Fu-fu.

Tell me how I could have seen a thing like that if I had made the NBA out of college! You just can’t make this stuff up.

[indeedproceed]

And, if you don't beleive me:

Thursday, 25 August 2005, 08:28 GMT 09:28 UK

Basketball brawl mars Angola win

In a thrilling clash between Africa's two basketball heavyweights, Angola beat Senegal 70-61.

But the match started 30 minutes late after the third and fourth-placed teams - Nigeria and hosts Algeria - started brawling in the stands.

Algeria's captain Ali Bouziane was taken to hospital with a broken rib.

The BBC's Farayi Mungazi in Algeria says the fighting, which spilled onto the court, was an ugly sight.

The police took 40 minutes to restore order. Local Algerian fans also got involved.

A policeman told our correspondent that assault charges would be filed against four Nigerian players, once they leave Nigeria's embassy, where they spent the night.

The play-off for third place, which preceded the final, was important because the winners - Nigeria - would go to next year's World Championships in Japan.

[JSD]

If anyone is interested in getting under the cap, Give the Bulls a call.

Unless people took a bunch of highly paid guys being under the cap isn't too hard.

Especially since FA is no longer as valuable. Don't forget that now each team has first right of refusal on its keepers for life.

Basically they're always restricted.

Am I missing something? Does this league carry over? Is there legit cap space involved at some point?

Yes, I made that trade as a salary dump. I feel like the Hawks are in a good position economically now and going forward.

[Gainesville Celtic]

Ime Udoka

Nice pick in this round. Good character, hard worker, can contribute.

How is it that one of the few guys i really wanted this round gets taken

when i was researching pick yesterday --- and weighing Udoka vs. Jeffries --- i came across this at Sactown Royalty which I thought was a nice explanation of the potential role of veterans on young/losing teams:

If anything, among the role players Udoka has benefitted most from the team's overachievement. On a 20-win team, veterans -- no matter how upstanding, how professional, how mentor-y -- are overrated. Lessons ain't learned after loss No. 50, you know? At some point, the cost of playing time for young players outweighs the benefit of teaching the lesson of "waiting your turn, son." I don't know if I'm making sense, but it makes sense to me, and I guess to Jason Thompson vis a vis Mikki Moore.

On a 30-35 win team, which this Kings team would appear to be, veteran presence actually helps. There is something tangible to the idea age improves defense, and this team certainly needed defensive help when Udoka joined. (It needs more today.) Udoka isn't just a Big Brother, as Desmond Mason was posited to be, as Moore was after roughly December 1 last season. Udoka is a valuable member of the surprising Kings, and I'm glad the front office brought him aboard.